Tuesday, July 01, 2008

A Happy Fourth


A happy and glorious fourth to all of you. I've been fighting an illness, some virus, for the past few days, so I won't be too wordy here. I have a poem for children which I found in one of my daughter's old fifth grade readers and thought it appropriate for the times and season. I pray that we would teach these sentiments to our children and grandchildren:

The Children's Song
Rudyard Kipling

Land of our Birth, we pledge to thee
Our love and toil in the years to be;
When we are grown and take our place
As men and women with our race.

Father in Heaven who lovest all,
Oh, help Thy children when they call;
That they may build from age to age
An undefiled heritage.

Teach us to bear the yoke in youth,
With steadfastness and careful truth;
That, in our time, Thy Grace may give
The Truth whereby the Nations live.

Teach us to rule ourselves alway,
Controlled and cleanly night and day;
That we may bring, if need arise,
No maimed or worthless sacrifice.

Teach us to look in all our ends,
On Thee for judge, and not our friends;
That we, with Thee, may walk uncowed
By fear or favor of the crowd.

Teach us the Strength that cannot seek,
By deed or thought, to hurt the weak;
That, under Thee, we may possess
Man's strength to comfort man's distress.

Teach us Delight in simple things,
And Mirth that has no bitter springs;
Forgiveness free of evil done,
And Love to all men 'neath the sun!

Land of our Birth, our faith, our pride,
For whose dear sake our fathers died;
O Motherland, we pledge to thee
Head, heart, and hand through the years to be!

9 comments:

~~Deby said...

Happy 4th to you and yours...praying that you get feeling better SOOOOON !!!!
Deby

Cathy said...

Happy July 4th to you and your family , Maxine. I pray you will be well soon.

Lori said...

What a great poem! I hope that you feel well enough to celebrate the 4th. Happy 4th to you and your family! In God I trust...and truly I do!!

Cathy said...

Forgot to say I liked the pretty picture and poem ~ :o)

Theresa's Notes said...

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!!!

Baptist Girl said...

Hi Maxine,
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY to you and your dear family! I pray for a wonderful holiday!

Cristina

TO BECOME said...

That is such a very good poem. I love all that it says. I hope you are soon feeling better. love you, connie from Texas

Beverly said...

Sorry I missed this! I got to wish you a happy 4th in person though!!

Anonymous said...

Hope you feel better!